Winding and rewinding mechanism for piano-players or like instruments.



N0.'792,401. PATENTED JUNE 13, 1905. J. GOURVILLE.

WINDING AND REWINDING MECHANISM FOR PIANO PLAYERS OR LIKE INSTRUMENTS.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR.25,1902.

Patented June 13, 1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH COURVILLE, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO FARRAND ORGAN (JOA IPANY, OF DET tOlT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATlON OF M IOH IGAN.

WINDING AND REWINDING MECHANISM FOR PIANO-PLAYERS OR LIKE INSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 792,401, dated June 13, 1905.

Application filed March 25, 1902. Serial No. 99,831.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, JosEriI COURVILLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and Stateof Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in W'inding and Rewinding Mechanism for Piano-Players or Like Instruments, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The invention relates to self-playing attachments for musical instruments, and has more particular reference to the construction of the winding and rewinding mechanism for actuating the paper music-sheet.

It is the object of the invention to obtain a construction in which the unreeling of the music-roll is frictionall y resisted during the playing to obtain a uniform movement of the music-sheet for each adjustment of the tempo. It is a further object to automatically release the friction upon said roll during the rewinding, and, still further, to obtain a simple construction of mechanism for actuating the roll in winding and rewinding.

The invention consists in the peculiar construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

in the drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of the box containing the tracker-board and music-rolls, showing the winding and rewinding mechanism in sectional elevation. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan thereof.

A is the end wall of the music-holding box, in which are formed the bearings B for the music-holding roll C and the bearing 1) for the winding-roll E. The latter is mounted upon a spindle F and has secured thereto a gearwheel G. The music-roll holder G has a detachable engagement with a socket H, formed at the end of the spindle I, the latter being journaled in the bearing B and forming a part of the rewinding mechanism. The spindle 1 extends outward from the wall A and is journaled near its outer end in a bracket J.

K is a wheel secured to the outer end of the spindle l.

L is a hrakeshoe adapted to bear against the periphery of the wheel K and secured to a spring-arm M. The latter is mounted upon a post or bracket N, extending outward from the wall A, which is so arranged that the tension of the spring-arm M is adapted to press the shoe L against the periphery of the wheel K. Thus whenever the shoe is in contact with the wheel the rotary movement of the spindle I, and consequently of the roll C, will be frictionally resisted, the tension being just suflicient to prevent slack in the music-sheet in passing from the roll to the tracker.

O is a winding-shaft which is journaled in a bushing P in the wall A and has secured to its inner end a pinion Q, adapted to mesh with the gear-wheel G.

R is a bracket secured to the wall A and forming a bearing for the outer end of the shaft 0. The shaft 0 may be longitudinally adjusted in its bearings by means of a collar S, secured thereto. This collar is preferably grooved and engages with a pin a at the end of the rock-arm T, the latter being mounted upon the horizontal rock-shaft U. This rockshaft is journaled in bearings Z), secured to the wall A, and at one end'is provided with an actuating rock-arm V, said arm being preferably formed by bending a portion of the shaft to extend downward. At the opposite end of the rock-shaft U are secured two rock-arms 1V and X. The former is intended for actuating the valve (not shown) which controls the wind connections to the motor. The rock-arm X is connected by a link 0 to a rock-arm (Z, formed upon the rock-shaft c. This shaft is journaled in downwardly-extending armsf, formed on the bracket J, and is so arranged that its outer end is in proximity to the springarm M for the brake-shoe L. r is a rock-arm adjusiably secured to the rock-shaft e and adapted to bear against the spring-arm M. The link 0 is adjustably secured to the roclv arm X by means of a threaded portion 0', which passes through an aperture in the laterally-projecting lug it on said arm.

2 represents nuts engaging with the threaded portion 0 upon opposite sides of the lug h and adapted when suitably adjusted to lengthen or shorten the link 0.

j is a sprocketwheel mounted upon the spindle I.

l", is a larger sprocket sleeved upon the shaft 0 in alinement with the sprocket j and connected therewith by a chain l. The sprocket 7c is provided with a hub m, which is grooved to engage with an arm n. The latter is secured to the bracket R and serves to hold the sprocket is constantly in alinement with the sprocket j regardless of the longitudinal movement of the shaft 0 in its bearings.

0 is a pin projecting from the side of the sprocket-wheel 7c, and p is a corresponding pin projecting oppositely from the collar S. These pins are arranged the same distances from the axis of the shaft 0, so that when said shaft is in its outer position the pin 0 will extend into the path of the pin 12, which together form a clutch for coupling the sprocket 70 with the collar S. When, however, the shaft 0 is moved inward, the pins 0 and 12 will disengage from each other.

q is a sprocket-Wheel secured to the shaftO and adapted to be connected with the motor by the chain. (Not shown.)

With the parts constructed as thus far described the movement of the rock-arm Vwill cause the rocking of the shaftU and through the medium of the rock-arm T and pin a, eugaging With the grooves of the collar S,'will cause the longitudinal movement of the shaft 0. Thus whenever said shaft is moved inward the pinion Q, thereon will be thrown into mesh with the gear-wheel G on the winding-roll spindle I), while the. movement in the reverse direction will disengage said pinion from said gear-wheel. At the same time the movement of the shaft 0 will engage or disengage the clutch formed by the pins 0 and p, so that whenever the pinion Q is in engagement with the gear wheel G said clutch will be disengaged, thereby permitting the sprocket to remain stationary during the rotation of the shaft. On the other hand, whenever the pinion Q, is disengaged from the gearwheel Gr the pin 79 will be moved into the path of the pin 0, and thus the sprocket 70 will be driven with the shaft 0. The sprocket q being fixed upon the shaft 0 and being permanently connected to the motor it is evident that whenever the motor is in operation the shaft 0 will be rotated and will impart its motion either to the gear-wheel G or to the sprocket-wheel 10, according to the position of the lever V. It is also to be understood that whenever the shaft 0 is moved to engage the pinion Q with the gear-wheel Gr the rockarm U will be moved to cause the rock-arm X to draw downward upon the link 0. This will rock the shaft 6 through the medium of the rock-arm d and will move the rock-arm 9 so as to withdraw it from contact with the springarm M. Thus the arm M will be released, so that its tension will cause the shoe L to press against the periphery of the wheel K and form a friction-brake for resisting the movement of the spindle I and roll C.

It will be observed that whenever the parts are in the position just described the roll E will be driven to wind the music-sheet thereon, drawing .it over the tracker-board and rolling it off from the music-holding roll 0, while the latter is resisted in its movement by the friction device described. When, however, the rock-arm V is moved to disengage the pinion Q from the gear-wheel G, the rock-arm X will be moved upward, causing the link 0 to rock the shaft 0 and to press the rock-arm g against the spring-arm M. This will move said arm outward and retract the brake-shoe L from contact with the wheel K. At the same time the engagement of the clutch formed by the pins 0 and 19 will connect the sprocketwheel k with the shaft 0, causing the rotary movement of the latter to be imparted through the medium of the chain Z and sprocket j to the spindle I. This spindle is thus driven in the direction to rewind the music upon the roll 0, and as the brake has been released the rewinding is not retarded thereby.

In order to'permit of the engagement of the pinion Q with the gear-wheel G, the ends of the teeth of said pinions are preferably sharpened, as shown in Fig. 2, so that they will always be guided into mesh with the gearwheel G.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination with the winding-roll and the detachable music-holding roll, of a re- IOO winding-spindle with which said music hold ing roll has a coupling engagement, a driven shaft parallel with said spindle, a drive connection between said driven shaft and said winding-roll adapted to be coupled or broken by an endwise'movement of said shaft, a clutch member loose upon said shaft having a permanent drive connection with said spindle. a cooperating clutch member fixed upon said shaft, means for moving said shaft longitudinally to alternatively couple said winding-roll or said loose clutch member with said shaft, and a bearing for holding said loose clutch member in fixed position during the movement of said shaft.

2. The combination with the winding-roll and the detachable music-holding roll, of a rewinding-spindle with which said music-roll has a coupling engagement, a driven shaft parallel to said rewinding-spindle, a pinion on said shaft adapted to mesh with a gear-Wheel on said winding-roll, a sprocket-wheel sleeved upon said shaft and forming the loose member of a clutch, a cooperating clutch member fixed upon said shaft, a chain connecting said sprocket on said driven shaft with a sprocket on said rewinding-spindle, a rock-arm engagingwith said shaft and adapted to move the same longitudinally to disengage said pinion and engage said clutch members, or the reverse, a bearing for holding-said loose sprocketwheel in fixed position during the longitudinal movement of said shaft, and an operation connection for actuating said rock-arm.

3. The combination with the winding-roll and the detachable music-holding roll, of arewinding-spindle with which said music-holding roll has a coupling engagement, a driven shaft parallel with said rewhiding-spindle, a drive connection between said shaft and the winding-roll adapted to be coupled or broken by an endwise movement of the shaft, a clutch member loose upon said shaft having a permanent drive connection with said rewindingspindle, a cooperating clutch member formed upon said shaft, a brake-wheel upon said re- JOSEPH COURVILLE. WVitnesses:

M. B. ODOGHERTY, H. 0. SMITH. 

